Violence Prevention, Conflict Resolution,
Emotional Intelligence, and More

Websites
Education Week Coverage of School Violence and Safety Issues -- go to the home page and search using school violence and other related terms.

Children, Youth, and Gun Violence -- a 2002 analysis of the physical, economic, and psychological effects of gun violence by and against children and youth, including recommendations for reducing youth firearm deaths and injuries.

The Final Report and Findings of the Safe School Initiative: Implications for the Prevention of School Attacks in the United States -- a 2002 report by a panel sponsored by the U.S. Dept. of Education and the U.S. Secret service.

Threat Assessment in Schools: A Guide to Managing Threatening Situations and to Creating Safe School Climates -- a follow-up report by the Safe School Initiative, sponsored by the Dept. of Education and the U.S. Secret Service.

Deadly Lessons: Understanding Lethal School Violence -- online excerpts from a book of this title.

Preventing School Violence -- a report by the Safe and Responsive Schools Project.

The Dark Side of Zero Tolerance -- a 1999 article that presents evidence about the negative consequences of zero tolerance policies.

Zero Tolerance, Zero Evidence -- a critical analysis of zero tolerance and related disciplinary policies and practices.

Are Zero Tolerance Policies Effective in the Schools? -- a review of the research and recommendations for school practice -- a study conducted by a task force formed by the American Psychological Association.

The Color of Discipline: Sources of Racial and Gender Disproportionality in School Punishment -- a 2000 study that presents evidence of racial and gender inequalities in school disciplinary practices in the U.S.

Beyond Zero Tolerance -- a good article that argues "schools don't need extreme policies to be safe and

"It's a Fork, It's a Spoon, It's a ... Weapon -- a 2009 NYTimes article about a 6 year old boy who was suspended from school for bringing to school a camping utensil that included a spoon, fork, and knife. He had just joined the Cub Scouts and wanted to try the utensil at lunch.

Zero Tolerance Policies: An Issue Brief -- a summary review of history, research, and recommendations.

Largest Ever Study of Anti-LGBT Harassment in Schools Shows the Problem is Widespread, Dangerous and Preventable -- "Despite an anti-harassment law that took effect four years ago this month, harassment and bullying based on sexual orientation remain persistent and pervasive in California schools. 7.5% of California’s middle and high school students, more than 200,000 students every year, are targets of harassment based on actual or perceived sexual orientation, according to a study released by the California Safe Schools Coalition. The Safe Place to Learn study found that widespread bullying has dangerous academic, health and safety consequences for students."

They Don't Even Know Me: Understanding Anti-Gay Harassment and Violence in School -- a powerful report about the physical and emotional abuse associated with anti-gay violence in schools.

National Association Of School Psychologists Center -- information on how zero tolerance affects students with special needs, and how that can affect the implementation of a multicultural learning environment.

American Bar Association: Zero Tolerance Policy Report -- an official report on Zero Tolerance policies

Zero Intelligence: Contraband in Auditorium Spurs Evacuation, K-9 unit -- a parent-run website dedicated to raising awareness of the harmful effects of zero tolerance policies and their lack of "common sense, precedent, and intelligence."

The Failure of Zero Tolerance -- a 2001 article that discusses several extreme examples of overly harsh punishments and how zero tolerance policies result in racial profiling and increased incarcerations. It also argues that zero tolerance policies put students on the defensive against their school system.

Education on Lockdown: The Schoolhouse to Jailhouse Track -- a report on how Zero Tolerance Policies take students out of schools and incarcerate them.

End Zero Tolerance: Putting the Spotlight on Zero Tolerance -- a resourceful website with the latest news on zero tolerance policies. Various links are available for anyone who wants to help end zero tolerance policies.

Chicago Targets Youth Violence After Deadly Brawl -- listen to a radio segment about recent (2009) youth violence and deaths in Chicago related to gangs, the closing of some schools and the transporting of students to other schools/neighborhoods far away, and more -- shows how youth violence is linked to the debate over charter schools, school funding inequalities, and other major issues in education.

Building Blocks for Youth -- a brief, and easy to understand history of zero tolerance practices in America's public school system.

Conflict Resolution through Classic Storytelling -- a curricular unit for elementary schools, from the Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute.

Building Safe and Responsive Schools -- lots of links, studies, publications, information about model programs, and more.

Conflict Resolution/Peer Mediation Project -- "a program designed to help students learn interpersonal skills important for the development of prosocial behaviors and constructive conflict management."

Mendez Foundation Education Center -- provides a framework for peaceable classrooms K-12 -- includes information about conflict resolution, anger management, respect for self and others, and effective communication.

Breaking Down Barriers -- a report on a high school program in Michigan that successfully brought students together across racial and other social and cultural divisions

Programs Fostering Emotional Intelligence Show Promise -- an article that suggests teaching for emotional intelligence is an effective strategy of violence prevention.

How to Create School-Wide EQ (emotional quotient) -- a set of guidelines for schools to integrate emotional intelligence into the classroom and the school culture.

Emotional Intelligence in Schools -- an article about the teaching of emotional intelligence in a number of Swiss elementary schools.

The Mind and Life Institute -- an international organization that is working to develop a "scientific understanding of how to cultivate a mind of compassion and wisdom" -- includes multidisciplinary research and educational programs about the value and benefits of "contemplative practice" (e.g., meditation) and other activities that can help create an ethic of care and concern for others and all.

"We Don’t Allow That Here" -- a good article about school violence issues -- presents examples of schools that have addressed school safety without resorting to draconian measures -- emphasizes promoting respect.

S.A.V.E (Students Against Violence Everywhere) -- a student-initiated program that promotes nonviolence within schools and communities.

Conflict Resolution Education: Goals, Models, Benefits and Implementation -- an online article that helps define conflict resoution, exemplary programs, and benefits.

Conflict Resolution Network -- an organization that has as its vision, "to create a conflict-resolving community."

Establishing Conflict Resolution Programs -- an article that describes ways to develop, and implement conflict resolution programs in schools.

School-Wide Conflict Resolution and Peer Mediation Programs -- an article with examples from three middle schools.

Preparing Teachers for Conflict Resolution in the Schools -- an article with information about conflict resolution, peer mediation, and peaceable classrooms.

Out on a Limb: A Guide to Getting Along -- an elementary level conflict resolution curriculum.

Center for the Prevention of School Violence -- a good resource with much valuable information about programs and research.

School Violence Prevention -- a website for a federally funded program for the prevention of school violence -- includes information about building resilience and achieving successful interventions.

School Violence Resource Center -- provides research and evaluations about school violence prevention programs as well as statistics, information about model programs, suggestions for crisis management, and more.

Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. 567, School Violence: What is School Violence? An Integrated Definition -- an online journal that addresses the failure of schools to address the wider context of school violence, and casual effects arising from the confluence of various forces.

Peabody Journal of Education: Peace Education in an Urban School District in the United States -- an article about using the insights of peace education through school based conflict management, environmental education, global studies, multicultural awareness, peer mediation, and violence prevention.

Conflict Management Techniques -- provides a curriculum for grades 4-12.

Keep Schools Safe -- up-to-date information about successful violence prevention programs.

Safe Schools Coalition -- a wealth of information about programs, research, conferences -- includes eduators' shared experiences.

Safe and Responsive Schools Project -- a project "dedicated to enabling schools and school districts to develop a broader perspective on school safety and violence prevention, stressing comprehensive planning, prevention, and parent/community involvement."

The Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence -- lots of useful data and prevention strategies.

Research About School Violence -- the latest research about youth violence from the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence.

An Overview of Strategies To Reduce School Violence -- a good overview essay -- includes research and specific strategies.

National Crime Prevention Council's Website -- an emphasis on maintaining "civic health" -- ideas about how parents, students, teachers, administrators, law enforcement, and community members can work together to limit school violence -- also includes links to other good sites.

Developing and Maintaining Safe Schools -- an article chronicling the views of administrators and directors of reform group.

School Violence Prevention: Strategies to Keep Schools Safe -- a good article that presents research and a wide array of anti-violence remedies.

Preventing Violence in Schools -- a comprehensive essay and some good links to other articles.

What Works: Five Promising Discipline and Violence Prevention Programs -- a good article.

Center for Adolescent and Family Studies: Teacher Talk -- a study on why violence develops in secondary schools, its relation to other issues, and what teachers can do to intervene.

National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center -- a variety of articles, materials, and resources for professionals, parents, and students to prevent violence by and against children.

National Conference on Lethal School Violence -- a series of video clips captured from the Radcliff/Harvard Conference on School Violence: May 21, 2002.

Yahoo! News: School Violence -- news stories, features, and op-ed articles pertaining to school violence. Updated multiple times per day. Requires (free) Yahoo account

College Administration Publications: Violence at Schools and Colleges -- questions and answers to commonly asked questions pertaining to violence. Includes warning signs, preventative measures, causes and effects.

National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center: Youth Gangs -- an informative website of frequently asked questions and important information on youth gangs and teen violence.

Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science: Youth Gangs Continuity and Change -- an online journal about the history, sources, problems, and causes of youth gangs in America.

Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science: School Violence: Gangs and a Culture of Fear -- an online journal about violence in schools, school structure, gang activity as it pertains to students and solutions to the growing gang problem.

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention: A Comprehensive Response America's Youth Gang Problem -- a fact sheet on comprehensive ways to solve America's youth gang problem.

Focus Adolescent Services: Why Do Young People Join Gangs? -- an informative website on why young people join gangs and prevention strategies and ideas, that provides an active help-line and list of organizations committed to preventing youth violence.

Character Education: Free Resources, Materials, Lesson Plans -- a website that includes teaching guides, lesson plans and links to other resources on character education. Also provides information on service learning and character education in sports.

Youth As Resources -- a community based program that provides small grants to young people to design and carry out service projects.

National Crime Prevention Council -- resources, links, and readings.

News on School Violence -- good coverage of the issue.

National Campaign Against Youth Violence -- lots of valuable links.

National Institute on School and Community Violence -- descriptions of a wide range of effective programs.

School Violence Virtual Library -- violence prevention, intervention strategies, and more.

Girls and Violence -- a good overview essay.

Behavior Advisor -- lots of different strategies/ideas for managing student behavior and conflict resolution.

Researchers Target Impact of Television Violence -- an article about recent research concerning the effects of violence on TV -- it reports that from 1998 to2002 violence seen during the 8 p.m. family hour increased 41 percent.

Safe Youth -- this website provides ample information regarding school violence, including a background of the topic, statistics and facts related to school violence, as well as ideas to solve the violence problem for schools.

The North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention -- this website deals with general school violence and discusses issues related to the topic. It also, is a great place for finding statistics regarding students and violence within schools.

Fight Crime: Invest in Kids -- an informational website with nationwide current news, along with information on child abuse, education, troubled kids and after school programs.

National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities -- a website that takes a look at such issues as school design, and how that can affect and create a safer learning environment.

Index of Violence -- this website deals with violence within schools, solutions to violence in schools, and the constitutionality related to the issue.

Some Good Books & Articles
Artz, S. 1999. Sex, Power and the Violent School Girl. New York: Trifolium Books.

Browning, L. 2000. "What Do You Mean 'Think Before I Act'? Conflict Resolution with Choices. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 14(2): 232-8.

Butchart, R. 1998. Classroom Discipline in American Schools: Problems and Possibilities for Democratic Education. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.

Cohen, J. 1999. Educating Minds and Hearts: Social Emotional Learning and the Passage into Adolescence. New York: Teachers College Press.

Cohen, J. (Ed.) 2001. Caring Classrooms/ Intelligent Schools. Teachers College Press.

Curcio, J. & First, P. 1993. Violence in the Schools: How to Proactively Prevent and Defuse It. Corwin Press.

Duke, D. 2002. Creating Safe Schools for All Children. Allyn and Bacon.

Dusenbury, L. 1997. Nine Critical Elements of Promising Violence Prevention Programs. Journal of School Health, 67 (10): 409.

Froschl, M. & Gropper, N. 1999. Fostering Friendships, Curbing Bullying. Educational Leadership, 56(8): 72.

Garbarino, J. 1999. The Lost Boys. New York: Free Press.

Goleman, D. 1995. Emotional Intelligence. New York: Bantam Books.

Gorman, K. 2003. The Ethics of Zero Tolerance. Journal of Educational Administration, Vol. 41.

Harris, I.M. 1996. Peace Education in an Urban School District in the United States. Peabody Journal of Education, Vol. 71, No.3: 63-83.

Harvard Educational Review. 1995. An entire issue of the journal (Summer, v. 65, no. 2) is devoted to the topic, "Violence and Youth."

Heide, K. 1999. Young Killers: The Challenge of Juvenile Homicide. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Henry, S. 2000. What is School Violence? An Integrated Definition. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. 567: 16-29.

Hill, M. & Hill, F. 1994. Creating Safe Schools: What Principals Can Do. Corwin Press.

Howell, J. 1997. Juvenile Justice and Youth Violence. Thousand Oaks, CA .Sage.

Johnson, D. & Johnson, R. 1995. Reducing School Violence Through Conflict Resolution. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Johnson, D. & Johnson, R. 1996. Conflict Resolution and Peer Mediation Programs in Elementary and Secondary Schools: A Review of the Research. Review of Education Research, 66(4): 459-506.

Johnson, D. & Johnson, R. 2001. Peer Mediation in an Inner-City Elementary School. Urban Education, 36(2): 165-178.

Katz, N. & Lawyer, J. 1994. Resolving Conflict Successfully: Needed Knowledge and Skills. Corwin Press.

Kauffman, J. & Burbach, H. 1997. On Creating a Climate of Classroom Civility. Phi Delta Kappan, 78(4): 320.

Kivel, P. 1997. Making the Peace: A 15 Session Violence Prevention Curriculum for Young People. Hunter House: Almeda, CA.

Kopka, D. 1997. School Violence: A Reference Handbook. Santa Barabra: ABC-CLIO.

Lane, P. 1995. Conflict Resolution of Kids. Washington, DC: Accelerated Development.

Lantieri, L & Patti, J. 1996. Waging Peace in Our Schools. Boston, MA: Beacon Press.

Lantieri, L. 2008. Building Emotional Intelligence. Sounds True Press.

Lundstrom, M. 1999. Character Makes a Comeback. Instructor, 109(3):25.

MacGrath, M. 1998. The Art of Teaching Peacefully: Improving Behaviour and Reducing Conflict in the Classroom. London: David Fulton.

Noguera, P. 1995. Preventing and Producing Violence. Harvard Education Review, 65(2): 189-212.

Pace, R. 1999. Teaching Peace with Dr. Seuss. Kappa Delta Pi, 35(3):118-21.

Skiba, R. & Peterson, R. 1999. The Dark Side of Zero Tolerance. Phi Delta Kappan, 80(5): 372-382.

Skiba, R. & Sprague, J. 2008. Safety Without Suspensions. Educational Leadership, 66(1): 38-43.

Spina, S. 2000. Smoke and Mirrors: The Hidden Context of Violence in Schools and Society. Rowman & Littlefield.

Stevahn, L. Johnson, D. & Johnson, R. 2003. Effects of Conflict Resolution Training Integrated into a High School Social Studies Curriculum. The Journal of Social Psychology, 142(3): 301-331.

Zimring, F. 1998. American Youth Violence. New York: Oxford University Press.

Some Good Videos/Films
Lessons of Littleton, Insight Media, 1999.